Strengthening Regional Institutional Capacity for Sustainable and Inclusive Financing (SIF)

Counterpart / Lead agency

Department of Environment, Antigua and Barbuda; Tobago House of Assembly, Trinidad and Tobago

Objective

This technical cooperation will build regional and institutional capacity to design and operationalize sustainable, inclusive financing mechanisms that strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises’ climate resilience and can serve as a model across the Caribbean. In Antigua and Barbuda, it will support operationalization of a Sustainable Resilience Facility for vulnerable enterprises, including women-owned businesses. In Tobago, a feasibility analysis will inform a Green Financing Facility and its institutional and governance frameworks to channel sustainable investment into the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Expected results

The project is expected to strengthen institutional capacity and develop practical financing frameworks in Antigua and Barbuda and Tobago, while generating regional learning resources. These planned outputs aim to expand inclusive access to sustainable finance and climate-resilient investment.

1. Facility policies and systems. The project is expected to strengthen the Sustainable Island Resource Framework Fund and establish an operational framework for the Sustainable Resilience Facility, including sustainable financing, gender-responsive procurement, digital monitoring and evaluation, and training for staff and eligible enterprises.
2. Tobago facility design. A feasibility and investment-gap analysis is expected to inform a gender- and climate-responsive Green Financing Facility, with institutional, governance, operational and financing guidance to support sustainable, nature-positive business investment in the North-East Tobago UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
3. Regional learning and knowledge. Planned regional knowledge exchange will share lessons from Antigua and Tobago through peer learning and a digital knowledge product, supporting public- and private-sector stakeholders to develop and implement green financing approaches across the Caribbean.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries include staff of the Department of Environment and financing facilities, eligible enterprises and Tobago institutions involved in facility design. Vulnerable and women-owned businesses are intended beneficiaries, alongside regional public- and private-sector stakeholders using the project’s knowledge products.